Train-stopping mechanism.



A. P. SANBORN & R. C. WILSON TRAIN STOPPING MECHANISM.

APRLICATION FILED APR-26. 1915.

1,1 90,0 1 5. Patented July 4, 1916.

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TRAIN STOPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR-26, 1915.

1 ,1 90,0 1 5. Patented July 4, 1916.

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ARTHUR P. SANBORN AND ROY C. WILSON, OF OSSINING, NEW YORK.

TRAIN-STOPPING MEOHAN ISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Original application filed September 14, 1914, Serial No. 861,614. Divided and this application filed April 26, 1915. Serial No. 24,066.

a system of block signaling or more spe-.

c'ifically to a selective mechanism and means controlled thereby for the regulation of railway traffic.

The fundamental purpose *of this invention is to prevent railroad accidents by eliminating the usual semaphore signals thereby abolishing dependence on the vigilance of the engineer and placing the control.

of the train entirely in the hands of a signalman stationed at a distant tower.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide a plurality of magnetizable members in the neighborhood of each block interval which will cooperate with suitable means mounted upon the locomotive to either stop the latter or convey the proper signal to the engineer.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient means wherein when the signalman energizes certain of said magnetizing members, he concomitantly deenergizes certain others thereof.

Another object resides in perfecting a system, that is neither complicated nor expensive to install, but one which will at all times prove dependable and efficient.

lVith this and other objects in view, my invention consists of certain novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be more particularly hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters, Figure l is a side elevation of a track, at the junction of two blocks, illustrating-the relative arrangement of the track magnets and the position of the latter with respect to said track; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, illustrating the abutting extremities of two blocks, the relative block and containing the means for controlling the track magnets, said cabinet having a part thereof broken away to show the magnet controlling means; and Fig. 3 represents a fragment of a locomotive, the movable arms carried thereby, and the track magnets which are operatively disposed with respect to said arms.

Briefly stated this invention which is a division of my pending application, Serial No. 861,614, filed September 14, 1914, comprises two pair of electro-magnets disposed adjacent the track rails with one pair situated on each side thereof and for the sake of convenience, one pair of these magnets will be designated as the emergency air magnet and service air magnet respectively, the other pair as the caution and clear magnets respectively. These magnets which are situated at the usual block interval, are energizable through the instrumentality of a selective mechanism located at the entrance of each block and controlled by a signalman in a distant tower. Suitable means are provided on the train for cooperation with the respective magnets so that should the signalman desire the train to be brought to a stop, he energizes the service and emergency air magnets which latter cooperate with the means on the train to bring the same to a standstill, however, if the Signalman desires simply to convey clear and caution signals, he energizes the clear and caution magnets as the case might be, which latter cooperating with said means on the train, operates suitable corresponding signals thereon. In this connection it is to be noted that inasmuch as the specific means for bringing the locomotive to a standstill and providing suitable signals for the engineer form no part of this invention and are set forth in our pending application supra, the same will be but briefly referred to in this description such references being made simple for the purpose of enabling a better understanding of the invention under consideration.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a locomotive, 2 the track rails, and 3 and 4 respectively the vertical movablearms mounted upon the train for cooperation with the track magnets hereinafter to be set forth. At the entrance of each block there is disposed a small cabinet 5 which replaces the ordinary semaphore signal now employed in railway signaling. This cabinet is preferably formed of metal, has a substantially rectangular configuration and is provided with a door opening 6 and a door 7 to give access to the interior thereof to enable the mechanism contained therein to be repaired or replaced as desired. Vertically supported within the cabinet 5, is a panel 8 formed of any substantial insulating material such as wood fiber or the like. Secured to one face of the panel 8 by angle-irons or other fastening means are the two relays 9 and 10 substituting the two usual home and distant relays designated H. and D. in Fig. 2. Adjacent said home and distant relays 9 and 10 upon the panel 8 are mounted the three electro-magnets 11, 12 and 13, these magnets being arranged in alined and spaced relation as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Secured to an insulatin and supporting member 1% is a resilient armature 15 which depends therefrom to a plane immediately forward of the electro-magnet 11. 1mme diately below the armature 15 in the same vertical plane therewith is another armature 16 having its lower end secured to the insulating supporting member 17 and its upper end disposed immediately forward of the electro-magnet 12. Pivot-ally mounted below and in the same vertical plane with resilient armature 16 is a double-acting armature 18 pivoted intermediate its ends on an insulated stud 19 with one end projecting in front of electro-magnet 13. Adjacent the lower extremity of the first referred to armature 15 are two angular contacts 20 and 21, while adjacent the upper extremity of armature 16 are two angular contacts and 23 which are adapted to be normally bridged by said armature 16. Opposite the extremities of the double-actingarmature 18 are two pairs of contacts 2-1, 25, 26 and 27 adapted to be alternately bridged by said armature 18. As it is necessary for the upper extremity of armature 13 to normally bridge contacts 24. and there is provided a spring 28 which is secured to said panel and has its free end bearing against the upper portion of said armature as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Adjacent track rails 2 in the neighborhood of each block interval are disposed two pair of electro-magnets 29, 30, 31 and 32 respectively, one pair being disposed on each side of the track. For the sake of convenience, electro-magnets 29 and 30 will hereinafter be referred to as the emergency and service air magnets, while those on the opposite side of the track, 31 and 32 respectively, shall be termed caution and clear magnets.

The caution and emergency magnets 31 and 29 are disposed in the same plane though on opposite sides of the track and rest across ties as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, while on the other hand, clear and service air magnets 32 and 30, which are disposed across a pair of ties the same as the caution and emergency magnets 31 and 29, are situated in a plane vertically spaced from that of the latter. By mounting the various magnets in this manner the movable arms 3 and 4 of the locomotive will be caused to pass above the caution and emergency air magnets 31 and 29 and below the clear and service air magnets and 30 as will be readily understood without further description. Inasmuch as the specific structure of these magnets is immaterial to this invention and is minutely set forth in our pending application, Serial No. 8%,585, filed June 22, 1914;, further description with respect to said magnets is thought to be unnecessary.

Within a well conveniently located near each of the cabinets 5 herein referred to, is a battery 33 having one terminal connected to the emergency air magnet by a conductor 34L, the free terminal of said magnet being connected by a conductor 35 to contact 22 in casing 5, the companion contact 23, being joined by a conductor 36 to the contact 21-, the companion contact of the latter being connected by conductor 37 with the opposite pole of battery 33 so that the circuit to the emergency air magnet may be completed when desired. Inasmuch as it is essential that the service magnet 30 be energized simultaneously with the emergency air magnet 29, the former is connected in parallel relation to the circuit of the emergency air magnet by the conductors 38 and 39. To energize the clear and caution magnets and 31, the former is connected with battery 33 by the conductor 10 which connects conductor 37 with one of the lowermost contacts 26, the other adjacent contact 27 being connected by a conductor ll to one terminal of the clear magnet, the other terminal of the latter is connected by a conductor 42 to the conductor 3st extending to the negative pole of battery 33. To place the caution magnet 31 in circuit with battery 33, one terminal is connected with contact 20 on panel 8 by the conductor 43, the adjacent contact 21 being connected by a conductor l t to one terminal of electro.magnet 12, the remaining terminal of which is connected via conductor 4-5 to the conductor 37 extend ing from the positive pole of the battery, the free terminal of caution magnet 31 being connected to the negative pole of battery 33 by conductor e6 which latter connects to conductor 36.

In order that the electro-magnets 11 and 13 may be readily controlled by the signalman located at a distant tower, they are included in a series of circuits of the home and distant relays 9 and 10 respectively so that when either of the latter is energized, one of said magnets 11 or 13, will also be energized to actuate its respective armature.

From the circuit connections above set forth, it will be seen that if the distant relay 10 is energized, either by a signalman or automatically, the coil 13 in series therewith will also be energized so that its armature 18 will be actuated to close the contacts 26 and 27 to establish a circuit extending from the positive pole of battery 33 through conductors 37 and 40, contact 26, armature 18, contact 27, conductor 41 to one terminal of clear magnet 32, through the latter and thence through conductors 42 and 36 to the negative pole of battery 33. This circuit will energize the electro-magnet for a urpose hereinafter to be stated. If, at the next block, the home relay 9 is energized, then the electro-magnet 11 in series therewith, will pull its armature 15 into engagement with contacts 20 and 21 to bridge the same. lVhen armature 15 bridges contacts 20 and 21 a circuit will be completed from the positive pole of battery 33 via conductors 37 and 45, to one terminal of the electro-magnet 12 through said magnet thence through conductor 44, contact 21, armature 15, contact 20, conductor 43 to one terminal of caution magnet 31 and from the other terminal thereof via conductors 46 and 34 to the negative pole of battery 33, thus energizing the caution magnet. Should both home and distant relays be deenergized, then the double-acting armature 18 of electro-magnet 13 will be forced by the spring 28 into engagement with contacts 24 and 25 so as to bridge the same; also as the electro-magnet 12 no longer attracts its armature 16, the latter will bridge contacts 22 and 23 and complete a circuit from the positive pole of battery 33 through conductor 37, contact 25, armature 18, contact 24, conductor 36, contact 23, armature 16, contact 22, conductor 35, to one terminal of the emergency air magnet 29 whence it will pass by conductor 34 to the negative pole of battery 33. In view of the fact that the service air magnet 30 is connected in parallel in the circuit of the air magnet 29 just traced, the current will also pass through conductors 38 and 39 so that consequently the emergency and service air magnets will be energized simultaneously. Furthermore, it will be observed that when the circuit to the caution magnet is completed, as the electro-magnet 12 is included therein, it will also be energized and disengage armature 16 from contacts 22 and 23 to open the circuits of the emergency and service air magnets 29 and 30 simultaneously with the energization of the caution magnet. Moreover, when armature 18 is actuated to close the circuit of the clear magnet it will be disengaged from contacts 24 and 25 to open the circuit of the emergency magnet 27 and vice versa- From the foregoing it will be apparent that the signalman may cause the energization of the emergency and service magnets or the caution or clear magnets at will, depending on the condition of the right of way. Presuming the emergency and service magnets 29 and 30 to be energized, then when the arm 3 on the locomotive passes below the service magnet and above the emergency magnet, it will be actuated upwardly by one and downwardly by the other. This movement on the part of arm 3 may be utilized to control various circuits on the train as will be readily understood without further description. If the caution or the clear magnets 31, 32 are energized, then when the movable arm 4 of the locomotive passes above the former and below the latter it will be actuated either upwardly or downwardly depending on which of said magnets is energized, and this movement on the part of said arm may be taken advantage of to open or close certaih circuits on the locomotive for any purpose desired.

In view of the fact that my pending application, Serial No. 861,614, filed September 14, 191.4 clearly and distinctly sets forth how the travel of the locomotive may be arrested or suitable signals displayed within the engine cab corresponding to the condition of the right of way when the movable arms of the locomotive are actuated by the electro-magnets hereinbefore referred to, further description relative to the result of movement on the part of the arms 3 and 4 is thought to be unnecessary especially as they are only referred to in this application for the purpose of showing their cooperation with the various electro-magnets.

It will thus be seen that we have provided means wherein a plurality of electro-magnetic tripping devices may be efficiently employed for the purpose of displaying suitable signals within the locomotive cab for bringing said locomotive to a standstill. Although in the above description we have set forth certain elements as best adapted to perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is to be understood that various minor changes as to form, substance, etc., may be resorted to without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic block signaling system, a series of electro-mag'nets disposed contiguous to the track, the members of said series being equally apportioned on opposite sides of the track and in predetermined relationship, electrical energizing circuits for each of said magnets, and means for completing the circuits of the latter, where by certain of the same will be energized pursuant to the condition of the track.

2. In an automatic block signaling system, a series of electro-magnets disposed contiguous to the track, the members of said series being equally apportioned on opposite sides of the track and in predetermined relationship, electrical energizing circuits for each of said magnets, and electro-mechanical means for controlling the circuits of the latter, whereby certain of the same will be energized pursuant to the condition of the track.

3. In an automatic block signaling sys tem, a plurality of magnets disposed contiguous to the track in predetermined relationship, electrically energized circuits for each of said magnets, means for controlling the circuits of said magnets, said means including a plurality of switches, one of the latter being included in the circuit of each of said magnets, a series of solenoids, one

of the latter cooperating with each of said,

switches, means to energize certain of said solenoids, whereby to actuate the coiiperating switch to close the circuit of one of said magnets and open that of certain others pursuant to the condition. of the track.

i. In an automatic block signaling system, a series of elect-ro-magnets disposed in pairs and in predetermined relationship on each side of the track, electrically energized circuits for each of said magnets, and means controlling the respective circuits of said magnets and including a plurality of solenoids, means to energize the latter, a series of switches disposed in the circuit of each of said magnets, one of said switches being arranged contiguous to each of said solenoids, whereby when one of the latter has been energized, the circuit of one of said magnets will be closed and those of the others opened according to the condition of the track.

5. In an automatic block signaling system, a trio of electro-niagnets disposed in predetermined relation contiguous to the track, means for simultaneously energizing two of said magnets, and additional means for energizing the remaining magnet and concomitantly deenergizing the energized magnets substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ARTHUR P. SANBORN. ROY G. IVILSON.

IVitnesses:

H. E. HORTON, R. C. SANBORN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

